Jennifer Koh Rhapsodic Musings (2009)

American violinist Jennifer Koh’s new recording, Alone Together is based on her online performance series of the same name, created in response to the coronavirus pandemic and the financial hardship it has placed on so many in the arts community. The New York Times called Alone Together “a marvel for a time of crisis” and the lineup of composers “more inclusive than anything in mainstream classical music.”

Jennifer Koh, a brilliant violinist (The New Yorker) who performs with conviction, ferocity, and an irresistible sense of play (Washington Post), showcases works by Kaija Saariaho, the visionary and influential Finnish composer with whom Koh has closely collaborated and feels a deep personal bond. The album offers the world-premiere recording of Saariahos Light and Matter for violin, cello, and piano, inspired by sunlit colors and shadows in a city park outside the composers window. Also receiving its first recording is the violin and cello version of Aure, meaning a gentle breeze, created for and dedicated to Koh and cellist Anssi Karttunen, another champion of Saariahos music.

Bach & Beyond, Pt. 1, Jennifer Koh's 2012 release on Çedille, is a straightforward and fairly standard recital of music for solo violin, though its chief interest lies in the high quality of her playing. Violin programs typically feature J.S. Bach's partitas, and Koh has selected the most popular, the Partita No. 3 in E major, BWV 1006, and the Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004, so the familiarity of these pieces goes a long way in making this CD marketable.